23 March 2020

Well, I never that I should be writing this under these circumstances.

The situation we now face in Hythe is extremely serious. Fortunately, Hythe is coming together as never before and preparing for the crisis that’s unfolding here, and I’ll set out the details of this below.

I think we all understand now that we have to work together as a community to minimise the spread of Covid-19 in Hythe. This is a matter of life and death for those of us in the high risk categories and each one of us needs to play his or her part.

As a carer for my 94-year-old mother, I am now self-isolating, which means I will not be attending  any more Mayoral functions or Council meetings until further notice. I simply cannot risk getting infected and passing the infection on.

And I hope we all understand that even if you are not at high risk yourself, getting infected does mean that you are likely to spread the illness because the symptoms do not immediately appear so you can very easily pass it on to others unknowingly.

So, please, stay safe and keep others safe. Wash your hands frequently. Avoid close contact with others outside the home whenever possible. Avoid shaking hands. Always Cough or sneeze into a tissue and then dispose of the tissue safely. Self-isolate if you have a temperature or a new, persistent cough. Call 111 if you need medical advice.

In addition to this, let’s all do what we can to help those in our community who are suffering, at risk, or in difficulties due to the current situation. In particular, this means helping the elderly, those in poor health or with chronic illnesses, and those who may have lost their income due to the current situation.

In this connection, Hythe Town Council has agreed with a wide range of other local organisations to set up a Community Hub for Hythe, based at Age UK in Stade Street, to coordinate support for those in need.

The services provided will include outreach, home help, meals, food bank, advice, advocacy, befriending, and signposting to a wide range of services.

Please refer to the links on the front page of our website for details of what Hythe Town Council is doing and how you can help